Scam Watch: Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam

Dear Readers,

(Last Updated Dec 18, 2009 @ 3:26 pm EST)

Hello everyone… I’m back and this time with a really common off line scam called the “Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam“

What is the “Credit Or Debit Card Double Swipe Scam” ?- This scam starts off like any regular purchase with your Credit or debit card you would make at a gas station or grocery store. So you hand over your credit or debit card over to the cashier like you have a million and one times before. But only this time your Credit/Debit card disappears behind the counter where your card is doubled swiped once in the legit mobile merchanted credit/debit machine then again in a Credit/debit information copying device or “E.I.C.D” (Electronic Information Capture DeviceorElectronic Identity Capture Device) Which will steal your information stored on the cards magnetic strip. (The Black STRIP on the back of your card) Some times even digital images are taken of your Credit Or Debit Card to obtain the last 4 digits of your card or EMBEDDED SECURITY PIN NUMBERS.

Now, this scam is very very common mostly among gas stations and ATM’s/BTM’s. Why are they so common among these to main places ? Two reasons one no one worries about handing their Credit Or Debit Card to gas station attended to swipe for them. The other reason for gas stations is because of the increased security of some gas station with glass between you and the cash register. So then regardless you have to hand your card over to swipe it or at the pump itself, that often will not work anyways.The second location is your ATM/BTM and that is because you already swipe your card there so the scammers are bound to grab a large number of people and very people know that the place where they swipe there card should only be slightly larger then the card it is made for. So if the swipe part of the ATM/BTM is 2 card lengths, then you should refrain from using it and see if all the ATM’s/BTM’s are similar.

Ways to prevent getting caught in this scam:

– Try not to hand your card over to just anyone

– Watch your card like a hawk (If it takes a little to long to swipe your card take notice and ask to see the card swipper or do it yourself)

– Take notice if the merchant swipes your card 2 or 3 times in a row with out showing you the computer screen or receipts where it says failed transaction.

– Always take a real close look at all your statements (Look for unfamiliar locations or several clustered purchases)

– Always as for all your receipts regardless of location or store (You’ll be asked for them as proof of wrong doing in court as well as wrong doing against a certain employer or employee)

If you guys have any question regarding this or any similar scam. Please to hesitate to comment or e-mail us @ computer.savvy@hotmail.com

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